To date, most of the proposals

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TopicsParallel

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Stimulus

To date, most of the proposals that have been endorsed by the Citizens League have been passed by the city council. Thus, any future proposal that is endorsed probably be passed as well.

What this question is testing

Parallel

Your task

Break the argument into its conclusion and evidence, then do exactly what the question stem asks with that structure.

Common trap

Answers that sound relevant to the topic but don't connect to the argument's actual reasoning.

Winning move

Predict what a right answer must do, then test each choice against the conclusion-evidence gap.

Reading along? Open the full official question in LawHub — we show a fragment here and keep the reasoning in our own words.

The question

20.

The pattern of reasoning in which one of the following arguments is most similar to that in

Answer choices

Bad Conclusion Match10% picked this
Most of the Vasani grants that have been awarded in previous years have gone to academic biologists. Thus, if most of the Vasani grants
The conclusion needed to say, "Thus any future Vasani grant will probably go to academic biologists." This conclusion made it weird and said "if it's an academic, then a biologist".
10%
Bad Conclusion Match3% picked this
Most of the individual trees growing on the coastal islands in this area are deciduous. Therefore, most of the tree species on
It doesn't seem like Past vs. Future, as much as There vs. Here. Also, the conclusion of the original was "Any future proposal", whereas this conclusion is just saying "most tree species".
3%
Weak Conclusion Match4% picked this
Most of the editors who have worked for the local newspaper have not been sympathetic to local farmers. Thus, if the newspaper hires someone
The conclusion should have said "Thus, any future editor for this local newspaper will probably not be sympathetic to local farmers". Instead, they made some weird contrapositive version of that prediction: "If sympathetic, then not editor".
4%
Bad Conclusion Match3% picked this
Most of the entries that were received after the deadline for last year's photography contest were rejected by the judges' committee. Thus, the people
The Past = Future conclusion should have read "Thus, any future entry that is received after the contest deadline will probably be rejected by the judges' committee".
3%
Correct80% picked this
Most of the stone artifacts that have been found at the archaeological site have been domestic tools. Thus, if the next artifact found at
Why this is right
Not perfect, but this resembles the Past = Future move of the original argument the best. Most X's are Y = Most stone artifacts have been domestic tools. Any future X will probably be Y = If the next artifact we find is stone, it will probably be a domestic tool. The conclusion sounds a little different from the original, but essentially means the same thing. The original conclusion, in choice (E)'s form, is Thus, if the next proposal is endorsed by the CL, then it will probably be passed
Skill tested: Parallel · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.
80%

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